1. Technical Field
Invention relates to a work bench and more particularly to a workbench mounted on tracks in a vehicle cargo compartment that can be slid out of the cargo compartment for use and slid back into the cargo compartment for storage and for supporting cargo.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Containers for various purposes have been mounted on tracks in the cargo compartments of pick-up trucks in the past. Some of these containers have multiple partitioned storage areas and slide under a false floor. Cargo can be carried on the false floors. The partitioned individual storage areas may be provided with hinged covers or lids. These lids can be used as work surfaces if care is taken to prevent lid damage. The lids used with these partitioned storage areas are not designed to support much weight, are generally higher than a normal workbench and cannot be opened with objects sitting on top of them. If they are used as working surfaces they cannot serve their intended function of providing quick and easy access to material,s in the partitioned storage areas.
The containers with partitioned areas have been supported by rollers that roll on the floor of the vehicle cargo compartment or on side tracks. Cargo compartment floors can be damaged by rollers when the vehicle passes over bumps because the floors are not designed to support large loads on small surface areas. Side walls or beams guide the containers having bottom rollers. Side tracks support and guide the containers with side tracks.
Large containers with an open top have been mounted on side rails in cargo compartments. The purpose of these containers is to facilitate loading and unloading of the cargo compartment especially when the compartment has a fixed cover. The container is rolled out of the cargo compartment on the side tracks where it can be loaded from the sides. After the container is filled it is rolled back into the cargo compartment. The procedure is reversed to unload the cargo compartment. These track mounted containers have rigid sides that limit or preclude their use as a workbench. The sides cannot be removed because they include the rails or rollers that are supported by the side tracks.
A retractable bed has also been used to assist in unloading heavy objects from pick-up trucks. The bed is a plywood sheet supported by three telescoping rail assemblies. The bottom rail assembly includes two spaced apart channels fixed to the floor of the pickup cargo body. An intermediate rail assembly has two tubular members with attached rollers supported and guided by the bottom rail assembly. The upper rail assembly includes two channels positioned between the two tubular members that are supported and guided by rollers on the two tubular members. The plywood sheet is secured to the upper rail assembly. This retractable bed can support relatively heavy objects even when the object is to the rear of the pickup truck. However, the plywood sheet is several inches above the floor of the pickup truck bed and reduces the area of the bed available for containing cargo.